Album Reviews : Earth Rot – Follow The Black Smoke

Perth’s very own Earth Rot are one band that you need to keep a close ear and eye on because they are like an unstoppable force, of Black Smoke shall we say? Releasing their first EP earlier this year in February, the band recently unleashed their debut album into the world and it is just, some of the most intense music you will ever hear.

‘Frostitute’ kicks off the album with some killer guitars, odd time signatures and the throaty vocals that go with it. You can instantly spot the black metal influence of this lot while also instantly getting the feeling that this is one of those albums that will be responsible for addiction. The guitars deliver an aural assault in the background, you can feel your brain rattling in your head. And we’re just one song down! Continuing as if still the same track, the madness increases on ‘A Dark Ill’ which I personally loved for the vocals – they’re mental! Occasional spurts of groove-laden riffs make their presence but the black metal is in your face! There’s something about this lot’s music which tells me that they can’t keep their arses rooted to one spot for more than a few minutes because around the 2.47 mark, the bass lines drop and the vocals become less guttaral, having more of a tinge of old school thrash, I thought it was a new song! Nope, same one!

‘The Pact’ is a headbang-inducing, relentless beast of a track with an overall progression that alternates between sections of chugging bass lines, raw sounding vocals and more rhythmic riffing coupled with a few blast beats. 2.05 features a sweet guitar solo that’ll make you jump up on your couch and air guitar. The song ends with the meanest, deadliest growl followed by these semi metallic breakdowns, but really it’d be unfair to the band to call them breakdowns. Let’s just say undeniably-awesome-in-between-guitar shredding-pauses. You’ll figure it out when you listen to it.’Hunger‘ has more grindcore elements to it right from the screaming vocals to the frenzied guitar work, the end having this black metal march-like quality. Tracks like ‘Sleep Paralysis’ and ‘The Serpent Tongue’ (seriously guys, full marks for the rad track names!) exhibit more of that crushing sound and mercilessly heavy riffage with a few little surprises here and there, like the little melodic bit towards the end of ‘Sleep Paralysis’ followed by another ripping solo that completely changes the mood to a more classic rock setting before fading out and into my favourite track.‘Witch Vomit’ is probably one of the most creatively named songs I’ve ever come across but also the most apt. MOTHER OF GOD, DAT INTRO! Simply put, if you want to know what a witch (one that’s a metalhead possibly) throwing up sounds like, here you go! This track reminded me of ‘Portal’ doing their own version of a Behemoth track. The vocals are spewing from the core of his very being and the banshee-like screeches along with spirited, eerie drum beats will send chills down your spine. This just escalates into further awesomeness.

Ending with the brutal yet slightly melodic ‘Stares of Sempiternity’ and ‘Oblivion’ two of the heaviest tracks on this album and both featuring a death metal vibe, this is a ripper of an album from start to finish! Black Smoke? Hell yes. Because that’s exactly what’ll come out of your ears after you listen to it! These talented lads have perfectly brought together elements from every mind-numbingly heavy style of music you can think of to create something deadly. Black ‘n’ Death ‘n’ Grind ‘n’ Roll indeed! It’s a sound unlike anything you’ve heard before, and even if it is like something that you’ve heard it’ll remind you to listen to this band more! Give them a listen, show your support, they’re brilliant!

Prarthana is a vegan, Indo-Aussie, heavy music addict, fluent in sarcasm and metal. Traveling is an obsession as she enjoys taking in the history of various countries and following her favorite bands. She's either eating, teaching grammar or learning an instrument, when not occupied with windmilling in the faces of other humans.